"Riz – comparing slaves to the white-majority gay activist set is a joke."
-History Buff

Yes it is, which is precisely why I never sought to draw that comparison (although I think you actually know that and are merely playing dumb). Are you having fun attacking your straw-man?

I simply pointed out that tradition alone is a poor justification for anything, be it slavery, marriage as the sole preserve of heterosexuals, religious circumcision (male and female), hereditary monarchies, etc. I just used slavery as the example 'coz I think we can all agree that slavery is a very bad thing - and that arguing 'but that's what people used to do' is not only a piss-weak justification for a bad idea, it's also manifestly stupid. If something is a bad idea, it's a bad idea regardless of how long it has been popular; if something is a good idea, it's a good idea even if it's novel. Next time I'll use the hereditary monarchy example. Will that keep you happy?

"In any case, born-again Christians ended slavery not pagans!"
-History Buff

On the other hand, there were an awful lot of Christians who wanted to keep slavery. And the folk who made vast fortunes from the slave-trade were mostly Christian, not pagan!

"If you read Amy’s piece she isn’t relying on tradition alone"
-History Buff

No, but you are (hint: this is an excellent opportunity to refute me by advancing an argument against SSM which does not appeal to tradition or history. Oh, or Christianity).

"Open your leftwing mind."
-History Buff

A bigot telling me to open my mind? That's rich. Anyway, you'd do well to remember this sage bit wisdom: if you open your mind too much, your brain will fall out.

So - "she is a Christian" doesn't actually engage with any sort of argument talisman, especially seeing as she doesn't mention God, or bible or anything Christian at all.

The idea that religious people aren't allowed to hold a perspective on anything non-religious is a little... intolerant?

Anyway, even Bob Brown has said he wouldn't get married... if you're going to argue with the article - at least explain what good reason the government has for recognising commitments. THen please explain why this shouldn't extend to any friendship??

Christians founded this country?

You mean all those people the British Christians put in jail for stealing bread and then shipped out in appalling conditions to the colonies? Little kids among them?

Or all those Christians they sent with them, who treated them so badly when they got here?

And all those Christians who murdered indigenous Australians?
Before they stole their children, that is.

And what about those Spanish Christians who insisted on torturing non Christians on the rack?

Or the ones who insisted on drowning women they decided were witches?

And all those Christians who slaughtered indigenous peoples in America, and South America? The Conquistadors, no less.

And all the Christians who refused to shelter the Jews in the Second World War? One of the popes in particular as I recall, who wasn't averse to appropriating Jewish possessions when offered them by the Nazis, while the owners died in concentration camps.

And all those Mormon Christians who practice polygamy? A topic Christians keep bringing up in this forum with great distaste, but yes, Christians do it. Your very own people.

And the Christians who kept slaves they'd forcibly removed from Africa?

Oh dear, History Buff.

Please feel free to balance this very incomplete list of historical Christian atrocities with something a little more positive.

"She worked as a legal researcher in privacy and e-commerce before taking up her current job doing research into marriage and family in Australia."

Perhaps who pays the author to do research into marriage and family in Australia is of such little interest and relevance as to not need declaring before the author writes on this topic. Then again, perhaps it is. Any comment Amy?

briar Rose yeah we see evidence of christian domination everywhere in our laws.

Murder laws etc. Should we abandon them too or are you just being selective?

It is a well known fact that marriage existed long before Christianity,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage

So what gives the Christian Lobby the right to dictate to all others in this secular, multicultural country of ours, who should and shouldn't marry?

History Buff would have us believe that slavery was abolished by born again Christians. Where is your proof on this?
I assume you mean Abraham Lincoln and his government abolishing slavery in America?
Well, apparently, his views on religion were ambiguous at best:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln_and_religion

Christians did not 'found' Australia either. Aboriginal people were occupying this land long before Christianity was dreamed up.